Fighting Forever
by braidonfire
Summary: Takes off after Agent Shaw kicks Kate off the Scott Dunn case. Typical story, lots of fluff. My first attempt at a FanFic. Please read/review. :
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, so this is my first attempt at a fanfiction. Ever. I was sitting at home watching _Boom!_ today, and I was inspired to write this. It takes place right after Agent Shaw kicks Beckett off of the Scott Dunn case. I know it's a typical story, and it's probably been done somewhere before, but please give it a chance. Review it! Let me know what you think! Okay, I'll stop boring you and let you read the story. Enjoy!_

* * *

Kate rubbed her eyes and turned on her side. Squinting, she glanced at the clock. _8:52_, the blinking green lights read.

_Shit,_ she thought desperately. _I'm so late_.

Her heart racing, she jumped out of her bed, only to topple onto the floor. Her legs hurt, and there were scratches and cuts all over her body. Then she realized that the room she was in was not her own. The _house_ she was in was not her own.

She pulled herself back up onto the bed and called out for the one person she thought could help her. "Castle?"

The tall, handsome frame of her partner came barrelling into the room, his eyes alight with worry. "Kate? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice strained and tired.

Kate stared around the room, then up at him. She thought for a moment, then said, "I don't know. I just…needed someone."

Rick's eyes softened and he sat down next to his friend and partner. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her. He was surprised when she didn't flinch away. "I get it. Your apartment blew up and the guy who did it is after you. Agent Shaw kicked you off the case. You had nowhere to go and that scared you. But…" he turned her head towards his, as she had looked away, and continued. "I'm here. Alexis is here. My whole family loves you, and you're welcome here as long as you like."

Kate sighed. "It isn't that. I don't care that this guy is after me. I don't care that Agent Shaw kicked me off the case because like I said last night, I would have done the same. I'm just so _worried_. Not for my safety, but for everyone else's. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. That woman, Gloria, was killed because I lived, and until this guy is caught there will be repeats of that. It's all my fault," she said desperately. She seemed close to tears.

"Detective Beckett?"

Kate and Rick both looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of a redheaded girl in the doorway. Kate was the first to speak. "Alexis!" she said, her mask of 'everything-is-going-to-be-fine' sliding on again. "Seriously, you can call me Kate. I don't mind."

Alexis smiled. "Okay. How are you doing?" The teenage girl sat down on the bed on Kate's other side. "I heard about your place…"

Kate sighed. "It's just a case. This guy's…crazy," she said, choosing her words carefully so as not to upset the girl or her father, "and we just need to find him. Then it'll all be over."

"You know I don't mind you here. Neither does Grandma. And," she said, whispering into the detective's ear so her father wouldn't hear her, "I can assure you that dad doesn't either."

With that, Alexis stood, winking at Kate, and walked out the room.

"What did she say?" asked Castle, his twelve-year-old mind returning.

Kate smiled and raised her eyes to his. "Not a chance, Castle." She smiled, biting her lower lip. "Not a chance in hell."

* * *

"Kate!"

The detective turned slightly, as much as her position would let her, to see who was talking. Her eyes met those of Martha, Castle's mother. "Martha!" she exclaimed, a smile lighting up her face. "I…I can totally explain this. My place-"

"Is ashes, I know!" The actress sat down opposite Kate on the couch. "Don't worry, dear. You can stay here as long as you like. It's no trouble."

Kate furrowed her brow, about to ask why _she_ was giving her permission to stay, when Castle came stumbling down the stairs. He'd gone back to sleep after their little exchange, and he'd apparently just woken up again.

"Ka-" His gaze whipped over to his mother, a look of confusion spanning his features. His mother opened her mouth to speak, but quickly thought better of it and walked away.

He looked at his partner, still sitting on the couch, laughing now. "What did she say to you?"

"Oh, nothing really, she just gave me permission to stay here." Kate raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Castle sighed. "Trust me," he said, "I have no idea."

Kate laughed. "I'm going to go take a shower. My gun's going to be on the counter, so don't get any ideas."

Hearing Castle chuckle, she tried to stand, only to fall on the floor for a second time. She groaned and threw her hands up in the air. "I just can't win here!"

Castle laughed lightly and sat down next to her. "It's okay," he said. "I'll help." He pulled her close to him, hugging her torso to his chest, and swung her legs up. Soon, he was carrying her up the stairs.

He placed her on her bed and propped her up. "You won't be able to take a shower if you can't stand. So for now, just rest. I'll get you some painkillers." He started out the door, but turned. "I'm also going down to the precinct. I was there at the explosion; I saw what happened and who was there. I might be able to point out anyone suspicious." With that, the room was empty.

Kate rested her head on the wall and sighed. She tried to shake everything out in her mind, to line it up and make it all make sense, but it was impossible. The case, the victims, everything…it just didn't add up. After a half an hour of thinking and re-thinking, she had to remind herself that she was off the case. _Once a cop, always a cop_, she thought.

Rolling over onto her side, she decided to try and get some sleep. She was drifting off when she realized that, after almost an hour, Castle hadn't returned with her medicine. Slight worry started tugging at her mind, but the detective forced it out and tried to think realistically.

She looked over at the door, which was closed firmly. It was a good five metres from the bed, and she knew her legs wouldn't hold her up, but she had to try and walk downstairs.

Kate swung her legs over the side of the bed and gasped from the sharp pain it caused her. She held the bedside table firmly as she tried to hold herself up. Struggling, and holding onto everything she could reach, she finally made it to the door and turned the handle.

Making her way downstairs slowly, she tried to force the pain out of her mind. _Anything but pain_, she thought. Puppies. Butterflies. Bombs. Explosions. Cyclonite. _Damn_.

The detective reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs and gently eased her feet onto the floor. She slid over to the couch to sit down—until she realized that it was already taken.

Castle was fast asleep, his blue and white "YOU SHOULD BE WRITING" screensaver flashing across his laptop. The TV was on, playing an old episode of _Bones_. There were two little blue pills and a glass of water on the table next to him, untouched. Kate smiled and eased herself down next to the sleeping author.

She studied his features, looking for a sign of awareness, of anything other than peaceful slumber. She found nothing. Castle's chest was rising and falling slowly, his eyes closed softly and his mouth forming a taught line. His hair was tousled, as though he'd run his hands through it. Kate's heart melted at the sight.

_What the hell is happening to me_, she thought. She was sitting on a couch, in her friend's apartment, watching him sleep. The very same friend who make sexual comments and jokes about her almost every day. The very same friend who brought her a coffee and a bear claw every morning in hopes of a smile. The very same friend who had busted down a door and rushed to her rescue in her enflamed apartment and then welcomed her into his home when she had nowhere else to go.

Kate had been fighting her feelings for years. Ever since the writer had started shadowing her like a five year old, she'd been fighting. Fighting every part of her brain that screamed for her to give in to her lust and trying to listen only to the parts that whispered he wasn't good for her. She was trying her hardest to let him go, to stop thinking about his face, his touch, at night. She was trying to forget how he made her feel, but it was impossible.

She was slowly falling in love with him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Castle."

Rick Castle sat bolt upright at the sound of his name and the voice saying it. It was a sweet, sultry, smooth sound that could only come from one person.

"Kate. You're…down here." That sounded dirtier than he meant it, and it elicited a raised eyebrow from his partner, but he made no note of it. "How…did you slide down the stairs?"

Kate laughed, partly at the comment and partly at the dead serious look on the writer's face. "No, I walked. Turns out, if I travel at about point zero-five miles an hour and hold onto everything in sight, I can actually move." The detective smirked, eliciting a laugh from Castle.

"Well, that probably means you're getting better."

"I hope so. I want to be able to go back to work."

Castle looked at the woman sympathetically. "Beckett…Kate. You know your injuries weren't the reason you got booted off the case. It's because you were too close to it."

"I know that, Rick. I do-" She stopped suddenly, biting her lip. Castle raised an eyebrow.

"Rick?"

Kate blushed. "Um…Castle. I know that-"

"I like Rick better."

Kate's heart started beating a mile per second. She was blushing, turning a gorgeous shade of red, Castle noticed. _God, she's beautiful_, he thought.

Kate stared into his eyes, losing herself in a sea of blue. Rick's eyes were mesmerizing; they were crystals, drawing you in and making you melt. They were beautiful.

And his smile. God, his smile. It lit up his entire face, changing the mood in a room instantly. Kate loved his smile. It always touched his eyes and made him even more handsome than the second before.

Kate realized that she'd lost herself in thought, and that Castle was staring at her, waiting for her response.

She kissed him.

It was a slow kiss, tender and soft. Their lips met with such care and hesitation, as if they were afraid of hurting each other. But it grew. As they kissed, a fire grew between them. A fire of passion and love. Kate pressed her lips to his eagerly, pulling him close to her, not wanting to ever let go. Castle let out a small noise of pleasure, which made Kate smile seductively against his lips. Her lips tasted like cherries, red and plump. Her hair was soft as he ran his hands through it, losing himself in her.

They pulled away only when they were both trembling with pleasure. Kate pressed her forehead to his and looked up at him through her lashes. She couldn't find any words to say in the moment.

Castle finally looked up from his transfixed, shocked stare, and gazed into her eyes. The brown, sparkling circles were taunting, alight with amusement. Rick couldn't avert his gaze. He was mesmerized.

He took her hand and pulled her down to his chest, holding her close. They lay on the couch together, unmoving. Happy. Neither of them saying anything, just…being.

And Kate was happier than she'd ever been in her life.

* * *

Minutes later, her phone rang. Annoyed, she reached behind Rick's head to grab it off the table. Esposito's name flashed across the screen.

"You have a really good sense of timing, Esposito."

"I know, isn't it amazing? Listen, Beckett, where are you?"

Kate bit her lower lip, debating whether or not to tell Esposito the truth. He and Ryan would have a field day with this. "I'm…why does it matter?"

Esposito's voice dropped to a whisper. "Because I need to show you something. It's about the case, and if Shaw or Montgomery knew I was doing this, they'd bust me back down to traffic faster than I could blink. You need to see this. Where can I meet you?"

Beckett sighed, knowing that she couldn't avoid telling him. "I'm…I'm at Castle's place."

She could almost hear Esposito smirking on the other end of the line. "Castle's place. Really. What have you two been up to?"

"Esposito, if you have something to show me, get your ass down here now. If not, don't call me again. My thumb's on the end button."

"Okay, okay," Esposito replied quickly. "Jesus. Someone's irritable. I'll be there in ten."

Kate ended the call and turned back to Castle. "That was Esposito," she started.

"I know, I guessed as much. He has something to show you, right?"

"Yeah." Then, examining herself, she said, "I need to change. Carry me up the stairs?"

Castle smirked. "My pleasure," he said, swinging her up into his arms and slowing ascending the curving stairwell.

He laid the detective on the guest bed. She sat up and stood, slowly making her way over to the small drawer of clothes she'd managed to salvage from her old apartment. Castle's phone buzzed in his pocket and, pulling it out, he rolled his eyes and laughed.

"What?"

"Read this."

There was a text from Esposito flashing brightly. _Don't get into too much trouble kids. B there in 10._

Kate smirked and stretched her hand out, beckoning for the phone. Castle hesitantly gave it to her.

_This is Beckett. Get a life, jackass._

_Aw, love you too._

Beckett rolled her eyes, handed the phone back to its owner and waved him out the door so she could get ready.

* * *

_Short little chappie, I know. I had to include the kiss, and the rest was basically just fluff fluff fluff. _

_Hmm, you know what would make me reeeeaaaallllyyy happy? If you would review my story. I'll give you a virtual cookie! 3_


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, Esposito. Come on in."

Kate Beckett was, to say the least, a mess. Her clothes had all been destroyed in the explosion, and anything salvageable smelled of smoke and had holes somewhere on it. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and for once; she had no makeup on at all. She had stopped trying completely.

Detective Javier Esposito looked behind him, then at both sides of the hallway, then darted into the apartment. He made his way over to the breakfast bar and sat down on a stool. "Where's Castle?"

"He's upstairs," replied Beckett smoothly. She was careful not to let on too much; she kept her face emotionless. "Now, you had something to show me?"

"I had something to show both of you," her friend said quietly. "Castle too."

"Fine. I'll get him."

Kate stood and moved quickly over to the staircase. Her legs were healed; she could walk on them easily enough. "Castle!"

The writer's head popped out from behind his bedroom door, an amused look on his face. "I thought you were calling me Ri-"

Kate's eyes widened, and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. 'Esposito's downstairs,' she mouthed.

Rick's eyes widened, and he clamped his mouth shut. He nodded and walked downstairs in a pair of acid wash jeans and navy blue t-shirt.

Esposito's expression had changed from that of a nervous deer to that of an amused, nosy detective. "What's going on there? What have you two kids been up to?"

"Shut up, Espo. What do you have to show us?"

The detective looked around him again, the worry returning to his eyes. "Jesus, Javier," said Castle, "There aren't any bugs here or anything. It's safe."

Esposito sighed. "There's been a break in the case," he said cautiously. "Shaw was on the phone with her daughter last night when she left the precinct, and she saw something. Him. He was at the parking garage, watching her. She tried to chase after him, but…he was gone."

Kate was frozen to her seat. "Where…where is he now?"

"No one knows," said the other detective. "But Shaw was able to get a good view of his face. We called a sketch artist, and, well…" he pulled out a sheet of paper from his beige folder, "here."

Kate sucked in a breath when she saw the photo. The man's facial features were sharp and pronounced, and his curly black hair was tousled. But what really terrified Kate were his eyes.

His eyes. They were haunting, a single black circle in each. No colour. Just black, horrifying darkness. Kate shuddered.

"Why…why would he do this? What the hell does the man have against me?"

Esposito looked at her sadly. "It's Nikki Heat, Beckett. You saw it all. The engraved bullets, the planned murders. He's _obsessed_ with you. That's why." He shot a dark glance at Castle over Kate's shoulder.

"Hey," the messily clad detective snapped, "this isn't his fault. It's not like he knew this would happen when he wrote the books."

Esposito arched an eyebrow at the woman. She had stiffened in her seat, her eyes opened wider and her mouth forming a tight line. Castle was standing a few paces behind her, expressionless. The corner of Esposito's mouth tugged upwards. "Whatever you say, Becks."

"So…what's next?" It was the first time Castle had spoken, standing behind the detectives, a worried expression on his face.

"Well, as far as we know, this guy thinks _you_," turning to Kate, "are dead. And it's safest for him to keep thinking that. So, you need to stay out of sight."

"How," Beckett said quietly, "can you-can _we_-be sure he thinks that? What if he was _at_ the crime scene, watching? He could know I made it out."

"Well, for now, we're hoping otherwise."

"Wait."

Castle looked up from the floor that he'd been staring at for some time. Beckett and Esposito turned to look at him.

"Do you have a name?"

Esposito shook his head sadly. "It's the one thing we haven't been able to find. But I'll alert you when we get it."

Suddenly, Kate smirked. "Espo, does Ryan know about this? You coming here?"

Esposito smiled. "Nope. He has the day off. Spending it at Jenny's, as far as I know."

Kate and Rick both chuckled. It was hilarious, how jealous Esposito was of Ryan's girlfriend. The tinge of annoyance whenever he mentioned her name was impossible to miss.

"Listen, I should go." Esposito gathered up his file and headed for the door. "I swear, Becks, if you tell anyone I was here, I'm telling everyone what went down at that Christmas party two years ago. Same goes for you, Castle."

Kate laughed and punched him playfully in the arm. "And if you tell anyone you saw me this awfully put together, I'll tell Lanie about Lisa."

Esposito paled and left.

Castle looked at Kate quizzically, his eyebrows arched. "Okay, two questions. First, what happened two years ago? And second, who's Lisa?"

Kate smiled and pulled herself closer to her partner. "Oh, please, Castle. Like I would ever tell."

And with that, they were thrown back into their blissful world of their own.

* * *

_Another little chapter. I really know how to keep 'em little, don't I? :P _

_I'll try to lengthen the next few. But for now, review and comment? Thanks!_


	4. Chapter 4

Kate Beckett awoke the next morning with only one thought in her mind.

_What the hell have I done?_

Kate was a runner. She never let herself get close to anyone because she was too afraid. She was too afraid of getting hurt. Ever since her mother's death, she'd had stone walls up around her emotions. She always wanted to make sure she was safe and in control.

And her control had just completely slipped away.

She always liked to know what was going on in her relationships. But now, if you could even call this a relationship, she had no idea.

She did what she did by nature. She ran.

Slipping on her LuluLemon yoga pants and one of Castle's button-down shirts, the detective made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Popping a piece of bread into the toaster, she settled down on a stool to think.

Last night had been amazing. After Esposito had headed back to the precinct, she and Castle had…well, a little more fun. She hadn't kissed anyone that way in…well, a long time. And Castle was an _amazing_ kisser. The way his lips moved against hers, soft, gentle and slow…it was like they were made to fit each other.

But now, was she really second-guessing herself? Was that what this was? Getting up early in the morning, making herself a coffee, sitting in her partner's apartment and thinking about whether she should walk out the door. She didn't want to. But she was afraid that if she stayed, the man upstairs would break her heart. That she would just be another of his conquests. And she didn't want that.

But hadn't Rick already proved her wrong? Hadn't he shown her how much he cared? He'd waited for her for three whole years. He never once tried to make a move on her. He'd waited until _she_ was ready. So why was she so worried?

"Kate?"

The detective looked up and smiled. "Alexis! What are you doing up?"

"Just getting a glass of water," the redheaded girl explained happily. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm…fine. You?"

"You don't look fine."

_Damn_, thought Kate. _How the hell did someone this perceptive come from someone like Castle_?

"Well…it really isn't even that important."

Alexis cocked an eyebrow. "Kate, I'm old enough for you to tell me anything. And I _like_ you, Kate. I really do. So, if there's anything _wrong_…"

"Promise not to laugh?"

"Maybe."

And there was the Castle gene.

"It's…well, I'm second-guessing myself. I mean, everything I want, or everything I _thought_ I want…I'm not sure if I want it anymore."

"If you want it, why would you second-guess?"

Kate thought about that before answering. The last thing she needed was Castle's _daughter_ knowing everything she thought. "Maybe the…thing…I want is chancy. Maybe I'm scared I'll get broken again."

Alexis sighed. "Dad won't hurt you, Kate."

Kate's eyes popped open and she stiffened in her chair.

"How did you –"

"Oh _please_, Kate. You're staying over at our house until you get a new place. You spend every hour of your day with my dad. And I can see it in your eyes. You _love_ him. And Kate, I know you've been hurt before, but I think you really have to trust that he loves you back." The girl paused. "Look. I know dad's got a messy record. He's not the best guy on the planet for that. But if there's one thing I know about my dad, it's that he's loyal as anything. He doesn't get bored if he's in it for real. So…just go for it."

"But –"

"But _nothing_. You and dad have had this coming for _years_. It's about damn time something happen."

Kate was shocked. She had always thought of Alexis as a mature teenager, but she'd never thought she'd been this insightful. She had absolutely nothing to say that could possibly prove her point.

"Kate, honestly, just go for it. I don't mind, Grams doesn't mind…you have our blessings if that's what you wanted."

The detective was dumbfounded. It was all she could do to take a deep breath, take a step towards the girl and hug her. "Thank you, Alexis." She smiled. "I needed that."

"Anytime, Kate." With that, the redheaded girl filled her glass with water and retreated to her bedroom.

* * *

"Hi."

"Hi."

_This is it_, Kate thought. _The do-or-die moment. He either wants me or not._

"Listen, Rick–"

"Can I tell you a story?"

Kate stopped mid-sentence and looked up at him. She bit her lip, reddening. "Uh…sure."

"Three years ago, there was a man who was bored with everything. He had a daughter, a family, money. He had, it would seem, a perfect life. But he was bored. He wanted more, he wanted something new. Everything was so typical to him. He was being swallowed up in his so-called 'perfect' world. But then, one day, a woman came up to him. She was different than anyone he'd ever met. She was strong, smart and sexy. She was beautiful. She wasn't another arm-clutching blonde. She kept him on his toes. In all the time the man knew her, he tried to see anything in her that was vulnerable or weak. But there was nothing. And," Rick's eyes were serious now, his breathing coming slowly and nervously, "she never changed for him. She didn't care that he was rich or that he had fame. She didn't care about any of it. All she cared about was truth and justice." The writer was close to her now, his eyes staring down into hers. Kate kept her breathing steady and slow, even though she was coming completely undone on the inside.

"And who," she said quietly, "would this girl be?"

Castle smiled and leaned even closer. Their lips were almost touching. "This girl," he said in the same tone as she had spoken in, "isn't too far away."

Kate was completely still. She was still biting her lip, nervous.

Then Castle said the three words that spun her world around. The eight letters that changed everything.

"I love you."

* * *

_Don't shoot. This seemed a lot longer when I first wrote it._

_They had to have the talk at some point, right? :) So anyways, here it is. Review? It would make me happy:)_


	5. Chapter 5

Kate was curled into Rick's side, seemingly sleeping peacefully. An empty pizza box lay open on the glass coffee table, crumbs scattered all over the surface. An old space-western TV show was playing, something the detective had picked out.

Kate let out a small, quiet sigh and Rick's mouth curved up into a soft smile. She moved her hands closer to his and smiled too. Rick knew she was, truthfully, awake, but he didn't want to confirm that. He liked this.

He had never felt this way about any woman before. Meredith had been refreshing and exciting, but that marriage had been based on morals and obligations more than anything else. And he didn't even know why he had married Gina. That hadn't lasted long at all—she had been demanding, exhausting and had really done a number on his nerves.

But Kate was different. Much different. She was as refreshing as Meredith had been, but in a different way. She really _did_ keep him on his toes. She was no-nonsense and she knew how to keep him in line. At the same time, he helped her have fun. After her mother's murder, Kate had built up walls around her and almost no one could get through them. But almost instantly, Rick had. It was like he'd thrown a grenade right at that wall and blown it down. He'd been her release. He was exactly what she needed and they both knew it. They were each other's perfect.

"God, I can practically _see_ your mind turning." The teasing voice of the detective lifted through the air, making Rick jump. Kate was looking up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief and laughter.

"Once a writer, always a writer." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"You're distracted. What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing. It's just…I meant what I said, Kate. That I loved you. I _do_. We're good for each other." His eyes were full of worry now.

"Rick, I…"

He sighed. "Am I moving too fast?"

He was met with a full-on laugh. "I'm not _that_ reserved, Rick. Shut up and kiss me."

He obliged, meeting her lips with care. The detective reached up and pulled him closer to her, knotting her hands in his hair and letting out a soft moan.

Rick pulled away, breathless. "So…is that a—"

"It's an _I love you too_. Now please, stop talking."

She pulled his lips down to hers for a second time.

* * *

"Beckett."

"Kate, get ready to open the door. I'm outside."

"Jesus, Esposito! You have the _worst_ timing—"

"In the world? Yeah, I know."

Kate ended the call, moving towards the door of the loft. "Esposito's coming," she yelled into the kitchen.

"Now?"

"Yes, now. I don't know why," she added, seeing Castle's expression.

"Alright. Uh…should we change, or…"

A tentative knock sounded, so small the pair almost missed it. Kate swung the door open and pulled the detective inside.

"You know, you _could_ warn us before you come," called Castle from the kitchen.

"We've got a name."

The detectives could hear Castle do a spit-take in the other room. Kate stiffened in her seat.

"Who?"

"Scott Dunn," replied Esposito, handing her a folder. She opened it gingerly, her breath catching when she started to examine the profile.

"Some son of a bitch from Wellington Heights?" Castle sat down on a stool at the breakfast bar and motioned for the cops to do the same. They did.

"No clue. He's got a bit of a record, but that's it."

Kate ran her hands through her hair, her eyes darting towards the window, then the door, then the stairs, then finally to Castle. "What do we do?"

Esposito answered before the writer even had a chance to open his mouth. "You stay out of sight. This guy, as far as we know, has no idea you're alive. We need to keep it that way, and when we catch him everything'll be over."

Kate sighed. She dropped her hand to the counter, dejected. Castle moved his own hand over hers, squeezing it tightly. Esposito's eyebrows lifted, but he made no comment.

"Fine. I'll stay here. But," she said dejectedly, "I don't like this."

"I know, Becks. I know."

* * *

Scott Dunn clasped his hand around the photo, infuriated beyond belief.

How could this have happened? How could he have _missed_ it? It didn't make any sense; he'd planted the small, almost invisible bomb where she'd never have been able to find it. So how had she known to take cover? What had tipped her off?

A low, angry growl arose out of his throat as he decided what he had to do. Turning on his heel, he crashed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. He never bothered to lock it; no one ever came here.

Practically punching the 'down' button for the elevators, he whipped out his new phone and started a web search. He had been replacing his phone every day, buying temporary disposable ones that he could lose before he could be tracked. He'd been stupid to get himself caught by that irritating agent, and he wouldn't have it happen again.

Quickly getting the address, phone number and zip code of the 12th precinct, he heard the ding of the metal elevator and swiftly stepped into it, pressing the lobby button. His hands were shaking, and a small part of his brain was telling him to go back, to stop this crazy scheming.

He pushed the humanity far back, refusing to let it take over his mind once more. The last time he'd had humanity was before he'd had his first victory, and it was a symbol of how idiotic humans were. It didn't make any sense to him, why people had to be so stupid and innocent about everything. Killing, eliminating people from existence, was much easier.

Of course, then there was _her_. Kate. She had killed people; she was just as evil as him. But she pretended. She pretended that it was her duty to _protect_ people, to keep them _safe_. If that was the truth, then why were people dead because of her?

_She'll pay_, he thought furiously. She'd denied her true nature, the true reason why she was alive. She was born to be evil, and the odd kill she had to make proved that.

_She'll pay_, he thought again. _They'll all pay._

_

* * *

_

"Castle."

"We just got a message. It's Dunn. He knows Beckett's alive. Can you get down to the station?"

Rick looked over at the couch, where Kate was curled up into a ball, napping. He didn't want to wake her, but if it was this serious…"Yeah, sure. Just let me wake Kate up and—"

He heard Ryan sigh on the other end. "Come on, man. You can't take her. You know what we gotta do…"

Clenching his fist around his cell phone, he steeled his voice. "Just before we found that body the other morning, I stayed with her. I protected her. I will _always_ protect her. She's not leaving this apartment and I'm not leaving her alone."

He could almost see the other detective's shoulders sag from the effort of convincing someone so stubborn to comply with an idea. "Fine. Stay then. Just put us on speaker and we'll play the message. Wake her up."

The writer speed-walked over to the couch and shook the woman lying there awake.

"Castle, what the h—"

He put a finger to his lips and hit the speakerphone button. "Ryan," he sounded out, "you're on."

* * *

_Okay, so I know, it's been a while. But I've been really caught up in my school work, like writing a speech, and other things. Plus, after Countdown, I was very strongly opposed to the way it ended (I HATE Josh) so I had to write a fic about it, _Always And Forever_. With all that, and the fact that I sort of lost my motivation to write this for a bit, it's been a while since the last update for this. _

_I really, sincerely hope no one has stopped reading this because of my annoying idiocity. Reviews are what keep me writing this, and I love to get them. Please, _please_, review this. You don't need an account. Thank you to all the people that have put this fic in their 'Favorite Story' or 'Story Alert' columns, and to the people that have put me under 'Author Alert', you are all the reason I keep continuing this. _

_One last thing. I feel like with where this is going, I could totally end the story in a few chapters. Originally, I had planned to write something more like 15 chapters, but I'm also aware that I could end it in about 8 or 9 or so. _**What are your thoughts on this?**_ I'd love your opinions so I can make a desicion. Thanks!_


	6. Chapter 6

_I don't really like the way this chapter flowed. I think it feels a bit forced, and I could have used better terms for it. It definitely is **not** my best piece of work. It's a little longer than the other chapters of this story, but I just went with the idea I had in my head. There is no smut in this, just a couple of suggestive paragraphs. If you don't want to read that, just skip it when you see it._

_P.S. If there are any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, please don't hesitate to tell me. I've had a long week and it's late._

**_Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Castle. I can't speak for the future, so we'll see. ;)_**

* * *

"…_You've resisted your true nature long enough, Katherine. I know why you were put here. You were born to be like me. Embrace who you were created to be. You have dis_grace_d the things I do and the people who do them. Damn you, Katherine Beckett. I will find you, and I will kill you. Know that._"

Kate sank back into the couch, shaking uncontrollably. Castle watched her, anguished, from the other end of the couch, unsure of what to do. It seemed as though reaching out, touching her, trying to make it all seem okay, would just make everything worse.

They heard a _click_ from the other end of the line, and a shaky, hesitant sigh. "_So_," prompted Esposito, "_what the hell do we do now_?"

Rick looked over at the other detective. Her eyes were shut tightly, her skin a ghostly shade of white. "Kate?" he queried, trying to get her attention. "Kate, talk to me."

"I don't _know_, okay? You go ahead and get yourself a psychopathic stalker that wants to kill you, and _then_ get back to me. Do any of you know how much this is killing me?" Her eyes were flashing now. She had gone from sickened and terrified to furious in less than a minute.

"_Look, Kate, I know this is hard for you_." Now it was Montgomery's voice that drifted through the line, floating around her. "_But you needed to hear this. We are gonna catch this guy, and when we do, I _prom_ise he will pay_."

Castle stepped in then, cutting everyone else off. "Guys, can Kate and I have a minute? I promise I'll call right back."

They heard the exasperated but understanding voices of the team at the precinct through the phone. "Call back when you're done." Then the line went dead.

Castle looked over at his partner, sitting on the couch, trembling. She now seemed halfway between completely devastated and utterly furious.

"Kate, listen to me—"

"No, you listen to _me_, Richard Castle." She was spitting her words, throwing them like daggers at the person across from her. "There is a _maniac_ loose on the streets of Manhattan, gunning for _me_. He wants to _kill_ me. Even you, with your amazing talent with words, can't downplay this. This guy has _killed_ because of _me_. I _cannot_ just _sit_ here and watch the people I _love_ get hurt because of this guy. _Understand_? I _have_ to get down to the precinct. I have no other choice. I'm healed now; I can run, jump, tackle. I'm _fine_. You guys," she snapped, pointing at the phone in Castle's hand, "_Need_ to let me back on this case—"

"_Kate_. Stop."

The detective, much to his surprise, closed her mouth and raised an eyebrow.

"Kate, I love you. I wish I could just let you get up, put your coat on, and walk out that door. But I _can't_. This guy knows you're alive and he wants to hurt you. As long as I'm here with you, I will _never_ let that happen."

"But, Rick—"

"I'm _sorry_, Kate."

Kate dropped her eyes to her hands, now intertwined with his. She took a deep breath. "Fine. But you have to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"You won't get into any trouble either."

Castle's eyes were clouded, confused. "What?"

"I know you're going to want to go down to the 12th. I also know that I can't really stop you. But he knows about you, and he'd hurt you too if he could. God, I _love_ you, Rick. I would die if anything happened to you because of me. _Please_, don't go do anything that could end badly."

Rick looked up at the detective, his heart almost hammering out of his chest.

"I won't. I promise."

"You'll stay here with me?"

"Of course."

"Not even to go get groceries or coffee?"

"We'll just order Chinese."

Kate smiled. "I love you, okay? Nothing can ever happen to you."

He smiled back, giving her a quick, tender kiss on the corner of her mouth. "Likewise."

Then he feathered her with kisses, trailing his lips down her collarbone and sucking on her pulse point, making her moan. Smiling into his neck, she nibbled on his ear.

He moaned into her skin. "Kate."

She pulled away enough to see his eyes, which were boring down into hers, tracing delicious patterns all over her. "Yes?"

"Are you…"

"Ready? _Yes_."

She said it with so much certainty, so much passion, that he almost jumped on her right there and then. But instead, harnessing his self-control, he leant forward again and feathered her body with kisses, venturing deeper this time. He heard her moan when he reached her stomach, and she fisted her hands in his hair.

He pushed her shirt up, pulling it off of her and dropping it onto the ground. She did the same, then reached her hand between them to unbuckle his jeans. He smiled against her lips, his eyes slowly canvassing as much of her as he could see.

The writer's phone rang, startling them both. "Damn," he murmured, annoyed. He picked up the phone and barked his name through the line, leaving Beckett to collapse in fits of giggles across from him.

* * *

Back at the precinct, the captain was looking over the case files. He was exhausted, and was sure the boys were too, but he wasn't going to put everything on hold for a little rest. There would be plenty of time to sleep when they were dead; right now, they needed to protect a member of their team.

He looked absentmindedly out his office window, unable to find any patterns. Esposito caught his eye, waving his hand in the air with urgency.

Jumping from his seat, Montgomery raced into the bullpen and waited by the detective's desk, passing a silent _what have we got_ between their eyes. Slamming down the phone, the other man wrote down an address on a Post-It and shoved it under his boss' nose.

"We got an address," he practically shouted across the room, causing Ryan and Shaw's eyes to dart upwards.

"Which is?"

"Fourth and Eighteenth. Brooklyn. Let's go."

* * *

_I could get used to this_.

Kate and Rick were again curled up on the couch together, but this time it was Rick that was completely out cold. He was holding her in his arms, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. His heartbeat mixed with the gentle sound of his breath was slowly lulling her to sleep.

Just as her eyes fluttered shut, she glanced at the clock above the window. _11:23_. Confusion and worry enveloped Kate's mind as she shook Castle awake.

He snorted as he regained consciousness, his arms wrapping around her even tighter for the smallest of seconds. His eyes groggily opened as he looked down at his partner.

"What—"

"Isn't Alexis' curfew eleven o'clock?"

The writer's eyes snapped to the same clock, taking in the time. His eyes reflected Kate's worry. "Yeah, it is," he murmured as he pulled out his phone, finding his daughter's name and hitting the talk button.

After a minute of silence, he retracted the phone from his ear and sighed, frustrated. "She's not picking up," the writer mumbled, more to himself than her.

She already had her phone out, dialling Esposito. When he picked up, fatigued beyond belief, she was already talking.

"Did you get anything on that address?"

Esposito let out a loud, stretched yawn before answering. "Nah. Definitely his place, though. You shoulda seen it, Becks. The guy turns all his murders into fiction manuscripts!"

"Great, great. But was he _there_?"

"I told you. No."

Kate let out a long, shaky breath, starting to shake again. "Listen. We can't get a hold of Alexis and it's past her curfew. She wouldn't just forget to answer her phone. Is there any chance Dunn might have—"

"Gotten to her?" The other detective interjected quickly. "I don't know. Let me get my stuff and I'll be down there as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Espo. See you."

Looking up at Rick, she could see the hurt and complete anxiety in his eyes. She gently touched his cheek. "Hey," she said worriedly, "It's okay, Rick. I've got Espo on it. If Dunn has anything to do with this, we'll know."

He looked down into her beautiful eyes, losing himself in them for only a moment. "I know, Kate," he said quietly, holding her tighter. "I know."

* * *

Alexis squinted her eyes against the harsh light. She could barely remember anything that had happened; one minute, she'd been walking home from her date with Ashley, the next, she had woken up _here_.

In a basement, it seemed. Or an examination room. Wherever she was, they needed to dim the lights.

She felt incredibly sleepy. Yawning loudly, she shifted slightly and tried to let darkness envelop her again.

That had been her mistake.

The door flew open, letting even more light into the room. A man barrelled through, one Alexis recognized all too well. Her father had shown her a sketch of him, and as soon as she had laid eyes on him, she'd felt chills up her spine.

The man in front of her looked her directly in the eyes, black against pale blue. Alexis shivered, feeling the same chill. There was no emotion in those eyes, no soul behind them. Just dark, blank hatred.

"Well, well. Alexis Castle."

He had a voice like no one else she'd ever heard. It was soft and frigid, and made you turn to stone the moment it reached your ears. It was the vocal rendition of Medusa.

Alexis couldn't find her voice. She could not find a way to respond to him, so she just kept staring into his haunting eyes. She felt yet another chill go down her spine.

"It's shocking, Alexis," the man cooed, walking closer to her. Leaning down, he ended up about an inch from her face. "I never expected you to be this beautiful or naïve."

Alexis kept staring into his terrifying pupils, until she was going cross-eyed. Her next three words escaped her mouth before she could think, and as soon as they were out, she felt she'd made another huge mistake.

"Go to hell."

* * *

_What do you think? :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Dear God, I owe you all an apology._

_I mean, when I was writing the previous chapters, I was all 'Humm-dee-dumm, it's two pages long on Word so it's good'. *Mentally smacks myself* These chapters are WAY too short, and I am _so_ sorry. I promise, the next (and final) chapter will be a hell of a lot longer._

* * *

"Go to hell."

Dunn stared into the teenager's crystal blue eyes, rage bubbling inside of him. "Oh, I wouldn't say that if I were you," he cooed softly. "I _really_ wouldn't say that."

Alexis just stared back. She knew she should probably surrender to him, save her own life, but she just couldn't. This man had tried to kill Kate and he would kill her dad if he had the chance. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl.

"And why's that?" she retorted, a newfound sense of bravery washing over her. "Why shouldn't I say that? Because you'd _hurt_ me? You know Scott, looking at your photo, I was scared of you. But now, as I'm here facing you, I can see you're just a messed-up, insane, psychopathic—"

He slapped her.

Her head whipped back and slammed against the wall, causing a sickening thud to resonate throughout the room. Her flaming hair flew through the air, landing tangled around her shoulders. She shut her eyes tight as she tried to regain a sense of power, of bravery. Trying to force the pain to the back of her mind, she looked up at the man in front of her with white-hot anger in her eyes.

"What do you want?"

"What I want," he sneered, his weasley voice echoing through the walls, "is Kate Beckett. Give me her and I will let you go."

Alexis took a deep breath. She wanted to be free, to see her family and Ashley and everyone else. She had no idea how long she'd been here, or if anyone had even noticed she was gone. More than anything, she wanted this guy to fry in jail. If she gave him Kate, told him where she was, he'd let her go and she could help the cops catch him. Taking another breath, she steadied herself for what she was about to say.

"You want Kate? Fine. I'll give you Kate. But you have to let me go _right now_. No funny business, no drugs, nothing. Just let me walk and I'll tell you where she is"

Dunn looked down at her, his head raised high in victory. He nodded. A small wave of excitement washed over him.

And then Alexis rambled out her address.

* * *

Agent Shaw was pacing in front of the FBI murder board, deep in thought. If this guy, Scott Dunn, was this serious about going after Kate, they had to keep her protected. Have eyes on her at all times. Castle may have been willing to do anything to protect her, but even he couldn't stop a bullet.

The phone on Beckett's desk trilled loudly, startling the Agent. Reaching over, she picked it up. "Agent Shaw."

"Agent Shaw, my name's Alexis Castle. You need to get personnel over to my dad's place right now."

Shaw furrowed her brow at the girl's slightly frantic voice. She'd never met this girl, but she knew of her. What information could a teenage girl possibly have on a case this serious?

"Alexis, what—"

"I was captured. Taken. By that man, the guy that's after Kate. Scott Dunn. I don't know where he is but I know where he's going next and you need to get people over there right now because Kate's in trouble and he's going to go after her." The last sentence came out in one breath, frazzled and urgent.

"Alexis, please calm down. Tell me what you mean."

A frustrated sigh could be heard from the other end of the phone line. "I _mean_ I gave Dunn her address! My address. Whatever. It was the only way he was going to let me go and I knew I would call you right after."

Shaw froze, her next sentence dying on her tongue. She beckoned Avery over with her hand, writing something down on a sheet of paper. _Get people on Castle's place, now. He's going over there._ Avery picked up another phone and started barking instructions and addresses and directions at uniforms and the other detectives. "Alright Alexis, listen to me, okay? I need you to calm down. Where are you?"

"Actually, I'm outside the precinct," she said quietly, as if she didn't want to be overheard. Putting the phone on speaker, Shaw walked to the window and looked out. Sure enough, there was Alexis, her flaming red hair impossible to miss in the streets, no matter how dark it was.

"Alright, come inside. You know what floor?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll have Avery stay here and hang out with you. I've got guys going over there now, and Ryan and Esposito'll be there too, okay? Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to Kate or your dad. We're going to catch this guy, I promise."

"Thanks, Agent Shaw. Really."

The line went dead, and Shaw was already at the elevators. Avery had a slightly sour expression on his face, probably a result of having to stay behind and watch a teenager, but he stayed put and drank his coffee.

Once the elevator reached the parking lot floor, she raced over to her car and opened the door. Climbing in, she didn't even take the time to put her seatbelt on before she shifted the stick in reverse and started to drive. If there was any chance of getting to this guy before he got to Kate, they had to work fast.

* * *

Kate yawned again, but she couldn't sleep. Not knowing that someone had Alexis. Rick was pacing back and forth across the room, a worried and frantic expression clear on his face.

"What if he killed her? What if he took her to the park, drugged her and—"

"Rick, stop it." He'd been spinning crazy theories all night, an 'occupational hazard' as he sometimes called it. Ever since they'd realized Alexis was missing, a part of his brain had gone temporarily insane.

"We've got Agent Shaw and the boys looking for her, and for all we know her date with Ashley could have run late. _We don't know_. So please, just try to calm down, okay?"

"Calm _down_?" The novelist turned around to face the woman lying on his bed. They'd been sleeping in the same room ever since they'd admitted how they really felt. "How can you tell me to _calm down_? That's my daughter out there, probably scared and hurt and—"

A loud, banging sound resonated up the stairs.

"Alexis!" Rick barged out of the room, crashing down the stairs and towards the door. Kate jumped up from the bed and followed silently behind him, even though he was making enough noise to wake the dead.

He disappeared around the corner, and she followed further behind. She had a sinking feeling that this was not what they thought it was. Mentally cursing herself as she realized she'd left her gun on the bedside table, she kept on down the hall.

She half-expected to hear Castle chewing his daughter out for being out so late. She half-expected to hear him fussing over her like she'd broken a bone or fallen ill. But what she really heard was what she was not expecting at all.

Dead silence.

She was a step away from the front foyer now, all defences up. She knew there was something terrible around the corner. Keeping her steps silent and stealthy, she rounded the corner and her breath caught.

Facing away from her, Scott Dunn was holding Castle at gunpoint.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

_By the way, the next chapter is going to be the last. It'll be a _lot_ longer than the past chapters, I promise. Please review? And if you have time, check out my other main fic, _What It Takes_? ;)_


	8. Chapter 8

_I give up with the long chapter thing. I can do that for _What It Takes_, but not this. So, please don't kill me..._

* * *

It was like at that moment, everything flashed before her eyes.

Seeing her partner there, so completely vulnerable and endangered, made her blood boil and her skin crawl. To put it bluntly, it made her _angry_. She drew her gun.

"It doesn't have to end like this, Writer Boy." Kate cringed at the psychopath's use of her nickname for him. "Give me Nikki and you walk."

"You'll never touch her."

A weasely, sleazy laugh escaped the other man. "Please. I have a gun; she doesn't. She'll be dead in the next hour; the question is, will you be too?"

He was more so talking to himself than anyone else now. Castle hoped, wished with every fibre of his being, that Kate had not been worried enough about Alexis and his previous outburst to follow him down the stairs.

But, the situation was opposite. She was, in fact, standing a few feet behind him with her pistol drawn, the safety off and her finger on the trigger. She was, in fact, so angry and vengeful that she would pull said trigger if this monster showed any signs of doing the same.

She took a step forward, thankful for once for the lack of loud, clicking heels.

"You know, this could end quickly."

"How so, Dunn?"

The killer chuckled. "I could just shoot you now, and then go find her myself. Isn't that a grand plan?"

"Wh—no, you can't—"

"I can and I will, _Castle_. Now tell me where she is!" He shifted the barrel of the gun, clicking the safety off and placing his finger over the trigger. "I said _now_!"

_Bang!_

A single shot rang out, startling everyone in the room. The gun flew out of Dunn's hand and skidded across the hardwood, as blood started dripping from his shoulder. Kate saw her chance and took it.

Advancing forward, she placed her gun on the foyer table and pulled her cuffs out from behind the pot of flowers. Landing a swift kick to his shoulder blades to keep him on the ground, she took the silver cuffs and clicked them on.

"Scott Dunn, you're under arrest."

He scoffed. "Please. I'll be out before you know it."

Just then, uniforms came bursting through the door, kicking it down. Agent Shaw and Esposito followed quickly behind.

"Come on guys, _really_? You had to kick the door down?" Castle was standing by the wall, grasping onto it for support and rubbing his head.

Esposito winked at him. "Always, bro."

Everyone directed their attention to Kate, who was pulling the killer off the floor and handing him off to uniforms. "And Dunn?"

He turned his head, grimacing from the pain.

"It's Beckett. Next time, target a real Nikki."

The uniforms shuffled him away, to the waiting ambulances and cop cars. The redhead FBI agent walked towards the detective.

"You should be proud of yourself. That was a brave thing you did there."

Kate found herself breaking into a soft smile, as her eyes gazed over at the man on the wall. "Well, anything to help…the people I love."

Jordan's eyes widened slightly, her mouth slipping into a gigantic grin. "You finally realized it, huh?"

Ducking her head, Kate smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I finally realized it."

Nodding, the agent patted her on the shoulder. "I'll see you at the precinct tomorrow, to clear up our things." Kate's eyes brightened at the obvious invitation to return to work. "Now, go get your man."

The woman walked away, leaving Kate behind her laughing. Rick walked over to her and pulled her into a hug.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Nothing. Just something Shaw said."

She felt him nod against her hair. "Thank you, Kate."

She pulled back to look at him. "What was I supposed to do? Let you get killed because of me? Not a chance in hell, Castle."

He smirked, and she could feel his chest shake with laughter. "There's my sarcastic Beckett. But in all seriousness, thank you. You saved my life tonight, you know that." He reached down and gave her a kiss, not caring that Esposito was close by or that Ryan had joined him.

Smiling against his lips, she let out a small sigh. "I love you, Rick."

He grinned even wider. "I love you too, KB."

* * *

"Dad!"

Castle turned and beamed at his daughter, who was tearing through the crowd of officers and paramedics on the street. Her bright red hair was flying around her face, a result of the wind she was causing.

When she reached him, she slammed into him, wrapping her arms around him. He could feel her sobs echoing through her, and he pulled her closer.

"Shh, hey there kiddo, it's okay, it's okay…" He felt his daughter shake her head.

"No dad, it isn't. I gave the guy your address!" Tears were trailing down her face as she pulled away to look at him.

"Only because you had to, sweetheart. You know he would have hurt you even more if you didn't."

Alexis sniffled. "I still feel guilty. He never would have found you guys if it weren't for me…"

"Alexis!"

Recognizing Kate's voice, the teenager turned around and was met with a hug. Kate was smiling, finding her arms full of teenager.

"I'm sorry Kate, I'm so sorry…he never would have tracked you down if it weren't for me…"

"Hey, don't say that." The detective crouched down to meet the girl eye-to-eye. "You did the right thing. You know he would have done a lot more damage to you if you refused to talk."

"I know…but he hurt you guys because of me!"

Kate smiled. "He didn't, though. He gave your dad quite a shock, and I'm sure parts of this will find its way into the next _Nikki Heat_ book, but we're both fine. We're _all_ fine."

The other girl smiled. "Okay."

"Thank you, Alexis. Now, can I talk to your dad for a second?"

With a knowing look in her eyes, Alexis nodded and retreated to Ryan and Esposito, hugging them and thanking them for taking the psychopath away.

Biting her lip, because she knew it would drive him crazy, she turned to Castle and smiled. "So."

He smiled back, his eyes wide with excitement. "So."

She leaned forward. "I was thinking…maybe after this is all over, we could…"

The writer blinked, realizing what she meant. Then his face broke out into a full grin. His eyes twinkled. "Why wait 'till it's all over?"

She smacked him playfully on the shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Always the jokester."

"And you love me for it."

And then, forgetting about the world around them, he kissed her, all his passion and love pouring out into one meeting of lips that ended it all.

* * *

_It's been a great ride, everyone. This was the first fanfic I ever wrote. It sucked me in. To everyone who added this to any kind of alert, added _me_ to any kind of alert...thank you. So much. And to my reviewers...you mean _so_ much to me. Honestly. You'll never know how much._

_I love you all. I'm not even close to being finished _What It Takes_, so check that out. If you want. ;) Mwah!_


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